Racine 70.3, Six Weeks and Shirts!!!!

Sorry I didn't write last week, it was a frustrating weekend health wise, and I was just plain tired.  No energy and no creativity to write.  A few days before Racine 70.3 race day, I started coughing, which I just chalked up to asthma.  Well, the day before Racine, I was not feeling well and could feel the cr@p filling in my lungs ... Not the best way to enter a race weekend.  I should have known by the extended taper the week prior to the race, that something was going on (Wednesday, July 24, the doc confirmed I have bronchitis again).  I was tired and run down before race week ... this should be a gentle reminder to me to slow down and say no more often.  As the training is really ramping up, taking care of me and my family has to be priority number one.  

So, Racine 70.3 ... The day before the race, Jacque and I headed to check in and get our bikes in transition.  We went to dinner with the local tri group we belong to (SWAT).  Dinner was great and it was fun to get to know the members a little better!  Came back to the hotel and settled in for the night. I coughed or tried to stop my cough all night and had wacky triathlon dreams, so wasn't super rested.  I don't think I ever am the night before a big race. 

The alarm goes off at 4:00am, we eat, get ready and head over to the race venue at about 5:00am to get transition set up, get body marked and just soak it all in. While at body marking, I had asked the gentleman if he had neat handwriting as I needed him to write a name on my calf. After seeing my Effcansah jersey, he asked if I was a survivor ... Yep ... Well, his wife, that was body marking too, is a survivor as well and she has better handwriting too :-). 

As she was marking me, I asked her to write the name Steffani on my calf (she is an amazing woman that is going through the fight). If you don't know, I do every race, in honor of a survivor that is fighting the cancer fight.  She thought that was pretty awesome that I was doing that.   As soon as she finished writing her name ... I broke down.  It makes me so grateful that I am able to do these races and participate in such an amazing sport AND to think of the strength of all of these men and women who are fighting cancer or have fought, can be really overwhelming and inspiring.  The race is one day, fighting cancer is a tough job, one that I have endured, and am now on the other side of, but so many are going through this right now, including Steffani, who was in my thoughts the entire day and I wanted to honor her and those that are still fighting or have lost their battle.   

The swim - well, that was the most brutal swim, I have ever had. 4 foot swells in Lake Michigan and water temperature of 64 degrees.  I am usually a pretty confident swimmer, but this one shook me.  They took 50 people out of the water and a boat even capsized. Eesh. When I finished and got out of the water, I was so happy just to be done with that portion!  

The bike - that actually went well for me. I was able to manage to hold 18+ miles an hour on the bike. I really enjoyed the bike which is saying a lot as I haven't been liking the bike for a couple of years :-). Made it back in and off on the run I went! 

The run - it was hot, humid and there wasn't any shade .... Not my best, but it was what I had in me that day. It was fun to be able to see friends racing out on the course and was so happy to see B, the kids and my friends that took time out of their day to watch me and all of the others hard at work out on the course racing! 

One of the best parts was to be able to see my friend Jacque out there and complete her first half ironman!  Loved being able to share that with her!  Attaching a picture of us post race :-). 

There are only 6 weeks until race day ... A lot of work needs to be done in that time frame. I am both excited and nervous.  Fingers crossed that I stay healthy and get all of my workouts in and make it to the start line.  This upcoming weekend, we are heading up north!  Besides having to ride a spin bike for 6-7 hours (the Tone Zone won't know what to do with me), running 2.5 hours and doing an open water swim, it will be relaxing :-).  The goal is to get it done as early in the day as possible so I will still be able to enjoy time with B, the kiddos and their friends. The cabin always brings me peace ... So I take any chance I can get to go up there. 

Shirts!!!!  A lot of you have been asking ... Effcansah - Team IronMichele Wilkinson shirts are ready to order and will be available for pickup/shipment at the end of August/early September!!!  If you would like to order one or more for you and your family to wear on race day out on the course, please order by August 20th. The cost for the shirts are $15.00 each and all proceeds will go to Dr. Mark Burkard's research at the UW Carbone Cancer Center.  You may choose to have your shirt(s) shipped to your door or you can choose to pick them up in Madison from yours truly on Tuesday, September 4th from 5:30 - 7:30pm (at Fleet Feet on Old Sauk Road) or in Janesville on Thursday, September 5th from 5:30 - 7:30pm at the Janesville Athletic Club.  Please email me if you have any questions.  It would be great to see a lot of you out there supporting Effcansah!  Thanks so much to Dawn Whyte for getting this set up!!  You are awesome!!  It'll be so exciting to see Effcansah shirts out there on the course :-).  I have attached a picture of the mock up of the shirts too :-). 

I am attaching a link to the website :-)

http://shop.effcansah.com/Team-IronMichele-Ironman.htm

I hope you all have a fantastic evening, and an awesome upcoming week!  And remember ... Life is good. Enjoy it, love it and be kind to one another!!! Until next Sunday!!!